James Dean Tribute Knife

[ILikeStilettos]

This is something Duke (knifemaker55) and I have been talking about for a while. The idea here was to recreate a 40-50's style knife, slim and wicked, but do it with contemporary materials and make it forgiving to build. Actually it's a sort of starting point, as we could add a safety, change the guards or reshape the lock tab. For now it has small flatguards and a flat top button without safety. It does have the traditional top and bottom bolster and it's a 13" overall picklock with a slightly extended and angled-plunge false edge.



This one is a 'fatty' with 5mm blade and 2.3 mm brass liners. That doesn't lend itself to being very sharp, but it should be as solid as a rock. A 5/32" pivot pin is combined with 3/32" pins throughout (the mid-pin is 1/16"). I believe the lock pin will be 1/8" in diameter. It will not used d-stamped liners or pinned brackets, like back in the day, but will have a very solid rocker mechanism. It's designed to sit very deep in the handle and never peek. The kickspring is two piece, dovetailed in and pinned.



This one will definitely happen, sometime in the future. As always, your questions, comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

[Fishtail Picklock]

I really like that. For me, the "James Dean" reference conjures up the image of a young tough. (Not my idea of a "solid citizen"). Of course, it is a stiletto (a stabbing, self-defense implement). All have limited practical use, but are built as works of art.

Well done. It is beautiful. BRAVO!

[Jackalope]

Been done already. Go to Burns web site and take a look.

[ILikeStilettos]

Been done already. Go to Burns web site and take a look.

That's an 11" fulcrum release and one of a kind. The owner wanted $2500 for it, and besides hates my guts. I plan to create two, one for Duke, one for me and not invest more than $500 for the pair.

[Fishtail Picklock]

Dave: I don't know why anyone would be that contemptible. I still think that they're missing out.

[Jackalope]

Been done already. Go to Burns web site and take a look.

That's an 11" fulcrum release and one of a kind. The owner wanted $2500 for it, and besides hates my guts. I plan to create two, one for Duke, one for me and not invest more than $500 for the pair.

Now why would a nice guy like Paul Panek not care for your guts?

[Fishtail Picklock]

Paul Panak is a good man. His custom work is beyond compare and HIs knives last a lifetime.

[ILikeStilettos]

Been done already. Go to Burns web site and take a look.

That's an 11" fulcrum release and one of a kind. The owner wanted $2500 for it, and besides hates my guts. I plan to create two, one for Duke, one for me and not invest more than $500 for the pair.

Now why would a nice guy like Paul Panek not care for your guts?

NOT PAUL. The guy who bought the knife from Paul.

[ILikeStilettos]

Paul Panak is a good man. His custom work is beyond compare and HIs knives last a lifetime.

Agreed.

[Fishtail Picklock]

I spoke with Paul Panak a couple of years ago. The man is a great knife maker and a bright and ardent Christian spirit. A wonderful individual with a kind heart and a gentle soul.

He has my consummate respect.

[Jackalope]

That's an 11" fulcrum release and one of a kind. The owner wanted $2500 for it, and besides hates my guts. I plan to create two, one for Duke, one for me and not invest more than $500 for the pair.

Now why would a nice guy like Paul Panek not care for your guts?

NOT PAUL. The guy who bought the knife from Paul.

OK!

[Genghis Khan]

Would making more of them lower the cost per knife?

[ILikeStilettos]

Would making more of them lower the cost per knife?

What you are suggesting is called "economy of scale". This happens with high production quantities where the production and development costs can be amortized over thousands of pieces. What I am doing here, and what Paul Panak and Pat Havlin do, is to create nearly unique pieces of art, and the compensation is directly proportional to the artist's reputation and acceptance in the community. Any prices I mentioned are an indicator of that and nothing else. These gentlemen are at the tops of their careers and command prices that set the bar. Me and my various partners in crime, are the new guys and we charge what people are willing to pay, which typically means we operate at a loss. We do this because we love it and it's fun ... it's certainly not putting food on the table! Moreover, if we weren't already subsidized by pensions, we would not be able to do it.